


Gordon’s Fashion Faux Pas

by chidoriXblossom



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Gen, TAG Secret Santa 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29176044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chidoriXblossom/pseuds/chidoriXblossom
Summary: John gets badgered by Scott into doing him a favour that involves Gordon.  Fashion advice has never been John's strongest point, but in this instance he knows more than Gordon.  Question is, will Gordon listen?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Gordon’s Fashion Faux Pas

**Author's Note:**

> Finally got around to posting this here. From the TAG Secret Santa 2020 on Tumblr. Just something light hearted and silly, but I hope you like it.

_“Hey, John. You copy?”_

John Tracy turned at the sound of his eldest brother’s voice and pushed his way over to the monitor. “Always, Scott. What’s the situation?”

Scott tilted his head a little. _“What makes you think there’s a situation? Can’t I just check in to see how you are?”_

“You can,” John confirmed. “But you already did that a little over two hours ago, and our next scheduled communication isn’t until--”

_“Okay, okay.”_ Scott held up his hands. _“You got me. There might be just a little issue I’d like you to look into for me.”_

Bingo. John knew Scott far too well.

“And what would that be?”

A pause.

_“You know that big conference and dinner Lady Penelope was telling us about that’s happening later today?”_

John nodded. “Yes, the one in Singapore where she’s a keynote speaker.”

_“Yeah. Lots of people, far too much paparazzi, high profile and of significant importance to the GDF.”_

“And, indirectly, us.” John felt a sigh coming on. “Get to the point, Scott.”

He watched his brother pull an awkward expression while wishing he could go back to his programming. Just once John would like to escape from all the dramas of the planet below him for twenty-four hours or so. Was that really too much to ask?

_“She’s invited Gordon as her plus one.”_

Ah. Right… John was starting to see where this was going. Scott was always such a worrywart at the best of times, but especially when one of them had to step into the limelight as a representative not only of International Rescue but Tracy Industries as well. And while they were all well educated and versed in the proper protocols for such high class events, some of them were better equipped and prepared than others.

The family’s very own loudmouth, prankster, happy-go-lucky fish did _not_ fall into that category. At all. 

John folded his arms and let out that sigh. “You don’t think Gordon is well suited for this assignment, am I right?”

Scott made a vague rocking gesture with his hand. _“Lady Penelope asked for him specifically, but your use of the term ‘well suited’ is very on point.”_

John felt his own face morph into one of horror. “Oh, no. Absolutely not.”

_“Please, John! You know Gordon never listens to me, and trying to get Alan to talk to him is a waste of time.”_

John grasped for an excuse or alternative option.

“What about Virgil? He’s always good at corralling Gordon?”

Scott’s jaw tightened and he quickly shook his head. There was even a grimace. _“You forget what happened last time I called Virgil while he was on vacation?”_

Ah. Yes. Alan’s trip to the dentist four years ago. Temper tantrums, lots of shouting and one very frazzled Virgil by the end of it. If memory served he’d threatened to park Thunderbird Two on Scott’s head for not being man enough to deal with their monstrous baby brother in his hour of need. Whether that was because Scott should have seen to Alan’s needs himself or simply because Virgil had been forced to fly home early, John had never found out.

“Scott, I’m in orbit. And working. I can’t just drop everything and come rushing down when you’re right there on the ground, on the same island and in the same house.”

_“I’ve got that board meeting in the morning to prepare for,”_ Scott retorted. A convenient excuse, if John had ever heard one. _“You’re the only one available.”_

“What about Grandma?” 

_“Not interested.”_

“Brains?”

_“Working on a new project.”_

“Kayo?” He was definitely clutching at straws now.

_“Ha, that’s funny.”_

John bit back a curse and let himself float away for a minute, hoping the zero gravity would help him feel better. It didn’t.

_“Do this for me and I won’t ask for any more favours for the rest of the year.”_

John’s head shot up and he sent a glare at his big brother. “That’s only two weeks!”

Scott scowled. _“Fine, the next three months.”_

“Six.”

_“Four and a half.”_

John considered it. “Done.” 

He watched Scott’s shoulders drop in relief. _“Thank you.”_

John sighed and pulled up the launch procedure for the space elevator. “Don’t thank me yet. I’ve only agreed to come down and try. I make no promises that it’ll do any good.”

_“Just remember it’s for the honour of our family.”_

Turquoise eyes rolled in exasperation. “Quit with the melodramatics. I’ll be down in fifteen.”

_“F.A.B.”_

John took a little too much satisfaction in swiping Scott’s face away to end the call and took stock of the situation. 

So Gordon was going along to a big fancy event with Lady Penelope, huh? In all honesty John had seen it coming for a long time, and he was incredibly relieved that he wasn’t the one being dragged along again like last time to that supposedly small charity auction. The one which had ended in disaster thanks to the Hood.

Now it was Gordon’s turn, and he actually wanted to go. He liked attention and he definitely liked Lady Penelope.

So what was Scott getting his contrails in a twist for?

Surely it couldn’t be that bad?

~*~

It was that bad.

Barely out of orbit, on the ground and out of uniform, John was quick to make his way towards Gordon’s room. He felt as ready as he could be with such short notice, but no amount of time could have prepared him for the atrocity his gaze fell upon the split second Gordon’s door slid open.

Scott’s request for help suddenly made a whole lot more sense, but in reality it should have been the fashion police their eldest brother had called.

John tried to keep the judgement out of his tone and failed miserably. “You’re not planning to wear _that_ , are you?”

Gordon blinked in the full length mirror he was facing, apparently unsurprised by John’s sudden arrival. “What? I like this suit.”

“It’s dayglow orange, Gordon.” Good God, John thought he was going to go blind. “Pinstriped and dayglow orange.”

“Which matches my bright and cheery personality just nicely,” the aquanaut retorted. He went about trying to straighten his matching tie and John looked away, trying to save his eyes from the torture they were being subjected to.

That suit really was awful. Whoever had designed it should be locked up.

“You know I don’t like to interfere,” he spoke up after a moment. “But I really think you should reconsider.”

“La-la-la, I’m not listening.”

Oh, how very mature. No wonder Scott had called in help. Where was Virgil when they needed him? He was the artistic one with an eye for colour coordination.

John let out a low suffering sigh. “Do you know what Lady Penelope is wearing?”

Gordon hummed at his reflection. “Nope. Parker sent me details, but I didn’t really read them. He’s always sticking his nose in whenever me and Penny are around each other.” A snort. “Makes sense, given his nickname I guess.”

John leaned against the doorframe. “Well if you’d bothered to read it then you’d know why I think that suit is completely the wrong choice.”

Gordon spun round to face him. “You mean _you_ read it?”

John sent him a deadpan expression. “It was a communication with a marker of high importance. I’m the communications expert.”

“It was addressed to me!”

“With no confidentiality data stamp. Besides, I needed something to read on the way down here.” 

John almost smirked when Gordon squirmed. 

“But back to the main point. That suit looks ridiculous and if you wear it I highly doubt Lady Penelope will ever invite you out to another public event again.”

Gordon ran his hands down his own lapels and John could see the gears in his head starting to turn. He was successfully getting under his little brother’s skin and in all honesty it was quite fun.

Then Gordon pouted. “I can’t believe I’m actually listening to you, of all people, about fashion. That shirt you’re wearing should be burned.”

Ignoring the jibe he had heard oh so many times, John stepped into the room and navigated his way through all the clutter to Gordon’s wardrobe. “Lady Penelope is wearing an off shoulder ocean blue dress with a thin diamond belt, matching necklace and earrings. You need to pick something more subtle that will compliment her.”

“But orange and blue go together!”

“When it comes to that particular shade I respectfully disagree.”

“That shirt is definitely getting burned.”

Flicking through Gordon’s way too bright and colourful wardrobe, John finally found what he was looking for and pulled out one of the wrapped suits that had been shoved to the back. Dark blue, tailor made by an old friend of their father, and one that was far better suited - pun unintended - for the event Gordon was to be attending later that evening.

Removing the protective cover, John presented it to Gordon. “This is much better.”

His little brother immediately pulled a face. “But that suit is so boring and generic. It says nothing about my personality at all.”

Oh, for crying out loud…

“It’s a good fit on you, Gordon, and high quality. Remember that you’re attending as Lady Penelope’s plus one tonight, not the other way around.”

A golden eyebrow quirked up towards the ceiling. “Your point?”

John was quickly becoming both exasperated and exhausted. How on Earth did Virgil manage being the family peacemaker and make it look so easy? Just dealing with Gordon was a monumental task.

“A gentleman does not outshine the lady on his arm.”

Silence. Those caramel eyes widened. John wanted to drop to his knees and give thanks to whoever would listen.

_Finally, he gets it!_

~*~

John was more than a little relieved when the space elevator docked and he drifted through the airlock and back into his natural habitat. Now a comfortable distance from Earth and any annoying younger brothers, the middle Tracy was quick to return to the programming he’d been doing before he’d received Scott’s S.O.S.

Eos filled him in on what little he had missed, with no distress calls and only minor generic chatter across all the channels and frequencies.

It seemed that, for the moment at least, all the attention was on a very specific event in Singapore which was just getting started. High profile guests were arriving, reporters flocked to the edges of the red carpets in their hordes, and the eyes of the world looked on.

The first pictures and clips started to find their way online, and one in particular was quick to draw attention from John and apparently many others. The reblogging and sharing counters were going into overdrive.

John took a moment to feel just a little bit proud as he admired the image.

Gordon, wearing the suit he had recommended, standing face to face with the elegantly dressed Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward as cameras flashed all around them. She was smiling up at John’s rather bashful looking younger brother with an expression that could only be described as affectionate, her delicate hands raised towards his neck as she adjusted…

...that _hideous_ tie which matched the equally grotesque abomination his brother had so laughingly called a suit.

Ugh. John felt he needed to bleach his brain and eyes to unsee it. It was vile. 

The suit may be absent but the presence of that tie mocked the middle Tracy something chronic. Gordon had actually worn that?! What was he thinking?

It warranted a very rarely used John Tracy facepalm.

Still, his reservations and opinions aside, it wasn’t a complete disaster. A flick of a finger brought up all the leading stories across the news networks and social media in front of him, and John noticed that that one picture kept popping up again and again, followed quickly by others as Gordon and Lady Penelope made their way along the red carpet and into the venue.

John found himself smiling as he flicked away the images and returned to his duties. So Gordon hadn’t completely listened to him after all. Hardly a surprise, but John wasn’t about to lose any sleep over it. His brother seemed happy and Penelope clearly approved of his attire, ghastly tie and all, so what more could John really ask for?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. At least I've got something to upload here since another fandom has kinda stolen me away atm. I will be back though!


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